To compile an all-time roster of the 24 cars of The Bamberger Railroad is a difficult task, due to the extensive rebuilding and renumbering of most of them. This, of course, is the result of the disastrous Ogden car barn fire of May 7, 1918. The experience then acquired by shop forces tended to induce further rebuilding in succeeding years. No doubt the quality of Bamberger rolling stock was considerably improved by this, but the whole thing makes doubly arduous the compiling of accurate car histories.

After abandonment of rail passenger service on September 7, 1952, cars 322, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355 and 434 were retained by Bamberger at its North Salt Lake Shops.

Cars 450-452 and 125-129 were never renumbered.

All cars were equipped with Westinghouse AMM brakes except cars 125-129 which had GE straight air with MD-33 valve, also magnetic track brakes.

The original motor cars had controls at both ends but normally operated baggage end first. After one-manning, only motor 322 remained double end, although 125-129 and 303 were equipped for operating from the rear end for switching moves only.

Body Type

Car Number Series

Single Compartment Coach

125-129, 302, 322, 324-326, 352-355, 400-402, 406, 434, 436

Coach with Smoking Compartment

323, 350, 403, 404

Coach with Smoking and Baggage Compartments

(none)

Coach with Baggage Compartment

301, 303, 351, 405

Coach 125-129 -- 5 cars

These five highspeed, lightweight interurban cars were the only truly modern interurbans to operate in the western United States. They probably were the finest interurbans New York ever had, too -- for they were built for the Fonda, Johnstown and Gloversville Railroad Company of Gloversville, New York.

Of the same breed as the Indiana and Cincinnati and Lake Erie lightweights, the "Bullets" were good examples of the interurban car-building philosophy of the Thirties: one-man operation, extremely light, high balancing speed, and given the creature comforts required to enable them to compete with the private automobile.

Built by Brill in 1932, the Bullets were along the same lines as the larger, double-ended "Bullet" cars built by the same builder for the Philadelphia and Western Railway.

To provide service to Schenectady, the FJ&G used trackage rights over the Schenectady Railway's Mohawk River bridge at Schenectady. In 1936, the bridge was condemned and the FJ&G found that passenger revenues soon dwindled to unprofitable levels due to competition from paralleling roads and highways. In June 1938, FJ&G abandoned their line between Gloversville and Schenectady due to the condemnation of the bridge, which had taken away direct access into Schenectady. At the same time, in June 1938, FJ&G shut down what was known as the Electric Division, which included all passenger service along their entire line, and the road became a freight-only railroad, operated by steam locomotives. (FJ&G continued operation as a freight-only road until June 1985, after operations ended in March 1984.)(For additional FJ&G information, see also FJGRR.org, including many photos of the Brill cars in service on FJ&G.)

Likely due to financial arrangements between Brill and FJ&G, with the abandonment of FJ&G's Electric Division, the Brill cars were returned to their builder, where they remained until being sold to Bamberger in 1939. They entered service on Bamberger at once, with the only alteration being the elimination of the lavatory and painting over the "Gloversville-Johnstown-Amsterdam-Schenectady" names on the belt rail.

Their distinguishing features include: all necessary safety devices, pneumatic door control, indirect lights, forced air ventilation (air entered at floor level along the side, passed over heaters and out via roof vents), leather air-cushioned seats, overhead baggage racks, magnetic track brakes, and field shunting which gave them a top speed of about 75 mph.

Their low seating capacity militated against them during World War Two but with the dropping of patronage in the late Forties, the Bullets saw considerable use, especially on the one hour "Flyer" schedules. At one time, Bamberger was interested in equipping the Bullets with MU controls and couplers which would undoubtedly have made them more useful.

After abandonment of rail passenger service an effort was made to sell the Bullets for continued rail use. Unsuccessful, Bamberger finally sold all five cars to the Utah Pickle Company, which used them as living quarters in the fields for laborers.

Bamberger 127 ended up at the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, California, and is being restored.

Car
Number

Date
Built

First
Number

Date To
Bamberger

Notes

125

1932

FJ&G

1939

1

126

1932

FJ&G

1939

2

127

1932

FJ&G

1939

3

128

1932

FJ&G

1939

4

129

1932

FJ&G

1939

5

GENERAL INFORMATION: Cars 125-129

Number of Cars:

Five

Road Numbers:

125-129

Builder & Date:

J. G. Brill Company, 1932

Body Type:

Single end, passenger coach

Length over all:

46 feet 11 inches

Truck Centers:

26 feet

Trucks:

Brill 89E

Over body posts:

34 feet 4 inches

Wheels:

28 inches

Height over roof:

10 feet 6-1/4 inches

Wheelbase:

6 feet

Width over posts:

9 feet

Seats:

54

Weight:

42,200 pounds

Seat Width:

40 inches

Motors:

Four GE 301

Aisle Width:

24 inches

Gear Ratio:

24:55

Control:

K-75

Color:

Orange & cream with black trimming

Notes:

1.

BRR 125

2.

BRR 126 was built as Fonda Johnstown & Gloversville 126 1932-1939; to Bamberger 126 1939-1953; first preserved (body only) by Utah Pickle Company 1953-1972; later preserved by Trolley Square 1972-1978; sold to private owner and stored at Utah State Railroad Museum, Ogden, Utah, 1988 to present.

3.

BRR 127 was built as Fonda Johnstown & Gloversville 127 1932-1939; to Bamberger 127 1939-1953; first preserved (body only) by Utah Pickle Company 1953-1971; sold to Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris, California, arrived by trucked at Perris in mid July 1971. (part from Pacific News, September 1971, page 15)

4.

BRR 128 was built as Fonda Johnstown & Gloversville 128 1932-1939; to Bamberger 128 1939-1953; first preserved (body only) by Utah Pickle Company 1953-1972; later preserved by Trolley Square 1972-1986; sold to Art City Trolley Restaurant, Springville, Utah, 1986 to present.

5.

BRR 129

The following comes from the Summer 2013 issue of Classic Trains magazine:

Cincinnati Car Co. was not alone in developing lightweight, highspeed electric railway cars--the J. G. Brill Co. of Philadelphia was also a player. The connection between Brill and Cincinnati's work was Dr. Thomas Conway. He had established his credentials in the early 1920s on the Chicago Aurora & Elgin--revenues rose 66 percent in the first four years of his time on the road--and followed this up with a 22 percent increase in revenues in his first four years on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton interurban he used as the principal component in assembling the C&LE.

The Philadelphia & Western was a third-rail-powered line that ran northwest from a terminal on the far west side of Philadelphia. Challenged by the electrification of Pennsylvania Railroad and Reading Company suburban lines to Norristown, P&W decided to drastically improve its service. It turned to Conway.

In 1930, Conway's management team at the P&W arranged for C&LE Red Devil car 127 to be tested on both the P&W and the Lehigh Valley Transit, whose trains used the P&W to reach Philadelphia. It showed what was possible, and the next step was to work on aerodynamics and conclude what else could be done to reduce operating costs. The result was the Brill "Bullet."

As developed for P&W, this was a 50-foot 6-inch, double-ended car seating 56 riders. Thanks to a liberal use of aluminum in their construction, the Bullets weighed just 261/2 tons; packing four 100 h.p. traction motors, each car offered a staggering 15.1 h.p. per ton. The 10 Bullets did the trick, saving the P&W, which survives today as SEPTA's Route 100. On top of that, most of the Bullets operated--at high speeds, over a demanding right of way, making frequent stops--for nearly 60 years.

Although Brill may have hoped to sell many more Bullets, the design came along at a time when both the economy and the interurban industry were in steep decline. In 1932, the industry experienced its peak year in terms of miles abandoned, when 1,300 miles of track ceased operations. In spite of this, the 33-mile Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville, which ran west from Schenectady, New York, took the plunge and bought five single-end Bullets.

The FJ&G cars were slightly shorter than the P&W's, measuring 46 feet 11 inches and seating 48. With motors rated at 200 h.p. and an overall weight of 21.1 tons, these cars boasted a respectable 9.5 horsepower per ton. FJ&G was able to cut about 10 percent off the one-way running time once the Brills replaced its old woodand-steel cars. However, the condemnation of a bridge into Schenectady killed most of FJ&G's traffic base, and the line ended electric operations in 1938.

FJ&G's five Bullets were returned to Brill, which sold them to Utah's Barnberger Railroad the following year. BRR had just emerged from bankruptcy, and the management's interest in the new cars was part of an overall program of modernization. This prepared the road for World War II, during which its passenger revenues increased nearly fivefold. Nevertheless, BRR ceased passenger operations in September 1952.

Two of the FJ&G/BRR Bullets survive, along with seven P&W cars.

Coach 300-318 -- 18 cars

Car
Number

Date
Built

Disposition

300 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 404 (2nd), October 15, 1921

301 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 407, April 29, 1928

302 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 321, May 30, 1919

303 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 322, July 4, 1919

304 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 525, June 10, 1920

305

1910

Renumbered to 403 (2nd), March 28, 1923

306 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to Line Car 200, September 18, 1920

307

1910

Renumbered to 300 (2nd), July 3, 1923

308

1910

Renumbered to 526, December 16, 1919

309

1910

Renumbered to 324, March 20, 1920

310

1913

Renumbered to 304 (2nd), December 1, 1919

311

1913

Renumbered to 437, January 15, 1921

312

1913

Renumbered to 408, December 1, 1937

(313)

(Vacant, number not used)

314

1913

Burned, May 7, 1918

315

1913

Renumbered to 323, October 30, 1919

316

1913

Renumbered to 438, February 6, 1928

317

1913

Renumbered to 303 (2nd), November 15, 1919

318

1913

Renumbered to 306 (2nd), November 11, 1920

(319)

(Vacant, number not used)

The 18 composite interurban motor cars of the Bamberger Railroad were constructed on two different orders, but were substantially identical. Cars 300-309 were built by Jewett in 1910, while 310-312 and 314-318 (there was never a 313) were by Niles in 1913. All were three-compartment (baggage, smoker, coach) in design, and all were equipped identically. Only in such minor details as design of steps were the Jewett and Niles cars to be distinguished one from another.

The agreement between the purchaser and the builder called for Bamberger to supply all the electric power equipment and air brakes; the builder supplied the trucks and accessories, installed the power equipment and air brakes, and delivered the cars on track at car works for transportation in steam train to Ogden.

These cars were originally painted Pullman green with gold lettering and trim. The name "Salt Lake & Ogden Railway" was spelled out in full on the letter board, and the slogan "Lagoon Route" appeared below the center windows. The car number appeared beneath each of the four end side windows and also beneath each left front window as one faced the car. Trucks and underbody detail were painted black.

The underframe was built entirely of steel and included 8-inch channel side sills and intermediate sills and channel crossings.

The baggage compartment was 11 feet long and had sliding doors at each side. Two folding seats were along the side walls. Seats were arranged as follows: the smoking compartment contained four reversible and four stationary seats; the main coach section had fifteen reversible and four stationary; the baggage compartment, two folding seats.

Although intended for single-end operation, all these cars had controls at rear end; these were mainly used when turning the trains on wye turn-around tracks.

After the Ogden car house fire in 1918, the cars became quite jumbled; those rebuilt were renumbered, many trailers were motorized and renumbered, and some motors became locomotives and even trailers. For the history of these cars after 1918, please refer to the chart on another page containing the renumbering data.

For the record, Bamberger motor cars never operated on another line. Reason, of course, was that connecting interurban lines used 1500 volts pressure, compared with Bamberger's 750.

One-man operation began in 1927 and those of the original 300s which remained motor cars were rebuilt as follows: the former front end became the rear end with vestibule closed and additional seats installed. Dead-man control was added (a safety treadle installed on the air line in such a manner that continued pressure of operator's foot was necessary to prevent brakes from applying automatically), and the old baggage compartment became a rear smoking section. After one-manning, the cars received a bright yellow outside paint job. All this cost about $800 per car.

The passing years witnessed other rebuilding: roofs were made into the arch type, steel sheathing covered sides, also upper sash, folding doors installed.

These six big cars, the work horses of the company, began life as open trailer cars in 1916, SL&O decided to free a good share of its rolling stock from the obligations of the Lagoon resort traffic by purchasing six large open trailers which were to be used exclusively for Lagoon traffic.

The trailers were able to seat 80 people. Their dimensions: 61 feet 6-1/2 inches long, 9 feet 6 inches wide, 12 feet 7 inches high with a weight of 56,000 pounds. The body framing was entirely of steel, posts were of composite construction, with T-iron and wood fillers, and letter boards were of steel. A wood roof of the arch type had a canvas covering, while the floor was of wood, double thickness. Seats were the H&K 300A wood slat type, while vestibules were enclosed and had a train door for MU operation. The trailers had both the seven-wire GE and the eleven-wire Westinghouse control cable so they could operate in trains with SL&O cars (GE) or SL&U and/or UIC (Westinghouse). On several occasions the trailers were rented by the two connecting lines. The trailers had a heavy steel underframe; the center sill was of 8-inch I-beam, 18 pounds per foot, while the side sills were of 8-inch channel bars. Truck centers were 39 feet 2 inches, and had Baldwin 78-30 trucks with 36 inch steel wheels. The cars were built by the Jewett Car Company and were numbered originally 425-430.

All six trailers were present in the Ogden car house fire in 1918 but their high steel content minimized the damage. Rebuilding was commenced immediately and took the form of three distinct steps. First three trailers were rebuilt into the same type car as when delivered. The remaining three emerged as closed trailers; war time restrictions on the procurement of steel caused Mr. Bamberger to strip the steel lining from a flume at one of his mines -- causing the odd ridge midway down the sides of the cars. So pleased was the company with these that the first three were called back and similarly enclosed. The final step was to be expected -- all six were motorized and thus was born the very successful 350-355 Class.

As motor cars, the 350 Class saw perhaps more intensive utilization than Bamberger's car classes, due to seating capacity. In 1927 they were rebuilt for one-man operation, boosting capacity to 84 seats. Later, 350 had a partition built to provide a smoking section, cutting it to 76; 351 was given a baggage compartment and thereafter it seated but 64. As motor cars, the weights increased to an average of about 86,000 lbs. Motors were GE 205Bs, and ratio was 21:53, enabling the 350s to work MU with 300 Class motors. PC-101-A control was installed at time of motorization.

To relieve the small Bullet cars (125-129) of the "Flyer" schedules, the 350s were modernized in 1946. This included tubular-frame modern seats, bulls eye lights, high-speed gears which increased their top speed to approximately 73 mph.

After rail passenger service abandonment, the six 350s were de-motorized and retained, ostensibly for service behind diesels to Lagoon. This never materialized, the cars now awaiting disposal at North Salt Lake.

Car
Number

Date
Built

First
Number

Date
Renumbered

Second
Number

Date
Renumbered

Disposition

350

1916

426

28 Sep 1918

428 (2nd)

22 Dec 1921

(disposition unknown)

351

1916

428

5 Feb 1919

431

4 Oct 1921

(disposition unknown)

352

1916

427

22 Aug 1919

432

20 Sep 1922

(disposition unknown)

353

1916

425

12 Apr 1919

433

26 Nov 1921

(disposition unknown)

354

1916

427

22 Aug 1918

429 (2nd)

20 Sep 1922

(disposition unknown)

355

1916

430

5 Jan 1923

(disposition unknown)

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS, CARS 350-355

Builder & Date:

Jewett Car Company, 1916

Rebuilt by:

Bamberger, 1918-1923

Length:

61 feet 7 inches

Width:

9 feet 6 inches

Height:

13 feet 0 inches

Weight:

83,500 to 87,400 lbs.

Seats:

84 (350: 76; 351: 61,)

Gear Ratio:

24:50

Motors:

Four GE 205B (110 hp)

Trucks:

Baldwin 78-30

Wheels:

36 inch steel

Control:

GE PC-101-A

Car Number Series

Body Type

350

Coach with Smoking Compartment

351

Coach with Baggage Compartment

352, 353, 354, 355

Single Compartment Coach

Trailer 400-405 -- 6 cars

Of the six trailers, only one (401) stayed in original condition. 400, 404 and 405 were rebuilt with arch roofs and blocked upper sash and renumbered 434, 435 and 436 respectively (435 was later motorized in 1929 and renumbered to motor 302). 403 became motor 320 and later trailer 400.

The following data concerns the 56-foot steel underframe single compartment trailer coaches and is taken from a catalogue of the builder, the Niles Car and Manufacturing Company.

For train service and long distance, high speed interurban traffic in which it is important that the service be equal to or better than competing steam lines. This car is so arranged that it may be quickly equipped for motor service when so desired and is especially designed to withstand a hot, dry climate for long periods and for the comfort of passengers.

Car
Number

Date
Built

Disposition

400 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 434, May 28, 1920

401

1910

Dismantled in 1952

402

1910

Renumbered to 325 (1st), May 4, 1919; renumbered back to 402, February 1, 1923; dismantled in 1952

403 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to Motor 320, January 18, 1919

404 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 435, June 18, 1920

405 (1st)

1910

Renumbered to 436, July 23, 1921

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS, CARS 400-405

Length over buffers:

56 feet 0 inches

Length over vestibules:

55 feet 2 inches

Length over end sills:

45 feet 6 inches

Length of vestibules:

4 feet 10 inches

Width over sheathing at sills:

8 feet 9-1/2 inches

Width over all:

9 feet 0 inches

Width inside:

7 feet 11-1/4 inches

Height, under sills to top of roof:

9 feet 7 inches

Height, from track to top of roof:

13 feet 0 inches

Distance between bolster centers:

34 feet 6-1/2 inches

Wheel base of trucks:

6 feet 6 inches

Seating capacity:

64

Length of seats:

37 inches

Width of aisle:

21-1/4 inches

Weight of car body, about:

30,000 pounds

Weight of trucks (motors):

20,500 pounds

Total weight as trailer, about:

54,000 pounds

Bottom Frame: An all steel underframe is riveted together before any wooden parts are bolted to same and consists of two center sills of 8-inch 18-pound I-beams, two side sills of 8-inch 13-pound channels, two intermediate or platform sills at each end of 6-inch 10-pound channels extending from buffers to first cross sills beyond bolsters, two buffers of 8-inch 18-pound channels, two end sills of 6-inch 10-pound channels with 5-inch 9-pound channels riveted on top with flanges upward, twelve cross sills of 6-inch 10-pound channels and six cross sills of 5-inch 9-pound channels, all riveted together with two steel angles at each joint. Yellow pine side sills 4-1/2 inches by 8 inches are bolted to outside of steel underframe. Wooden sills for floor and under ceiling are bolted to all steel cross sills and end sills. Oak buffers 2-1/2 inches thick are secured to 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches steel angles riveted to all longitudinal steel sills. Bottom frame is supported on two 10 inch steel plate truss bolsters with riveted steel channel fillers and two 8-inch, 18-pound I-needle-beams on two 1-1/2 inch truss rods with 1-3/4 inch turnbuckles.

Floor: One thickness of 13/16 inch by 3-1/4 inch yellow pine laid diagonal and one thickness of 13/16 inch by 3-1/4 inch hard maple laid lengthwise of car with waterproof tar felt between. The bottom is ceiled 1-1/2 inch beneath the under floor and this space packed with mineral wool. All flooring is thoroughly painted on both sides and edges before laid. Corrugated rubber mat 24 inches wide full length of aisle.

Body: Eight pairs of Pullman style twin windows on each side with alternate single and panel posts; sheathed outside with 3/4 inch by 2 inch poplar; inside truss bars 3/8 inch by 2 inch, thoroughly braced beneath windows and with 5/8 inch vertical tie rod at each post; 30 inch sliding door in each end bulkhead.

Windows: Lower side sashes fitted with Edwards' bevel lock and ratchet on each side with spring rollers at top and weather strips at top and bottom. Single drop sashes in vestibule end windows. Pantasote curtains with Forsyth No. 88 fixture in casings below Gothic sashes. Double Gothic sashes between which the lower sashes raise. Twin deck sashes semi-elliptical in shape hung on Hart's ratchet fixtures.† End doors to have drop sashes in upper portions.

Painting: Color, lettering, numbers and striping as directed by Purchaser.

Hand Brakes: Supplied by Purchaser and may be installed by Builder at extra charge for same.

Electric Power Equipment: Train cable and power wiring supplied by Purchaser and may be installed by Builder at extra charge for same.

Trucks: Baldwin Class 78-30-A with standard 36 inch M.C.B. section forged-rolled steel wheels on 5 inch hammered steel axles with 5 inch x 9 inch journals and prepared for any motors specified by purchaser so cars may be used for motor service when desired, are supplied by builder. If cars can be delivered on track on their own wheels, the bodies should be mounted on trucks at car works; otherwise by purchaser at destination.

Heater: Smith No. 1-C hot water type occupying the space of one corner seat and removable in summer.

Trailer 400-405 (2nd Series) -- 4 cars

Car
Number

Date
Built

First
Number

Date
Renumbered

Second
Number

Date
Renumbered

Disposition

400 (2nd)

1910

SL&O/BERR 403

18 Jan 1919

BERR 320

3 Mar 1922

1

403 (2nd)

1910

SL&O/BERR 305

28 Mar 1923

2

404 (2nd)

1910

300 (1st)

15 Oct 1921

3

405 (2nd)

1913

318

11 Nov 1920

306 (2nd)

2 Sep 1922

3

General Notes:

a.

Bamberger 400 (2nd) was built as Salt Lake & Ogden 403 in 1910 by Niles Car & Manufacturing Company; renumbered to Bamberger Electric 403 in 1917; renumbered to Bamberger Electric 320 in 1919; renumbered to Bamberger Electric 400 (2nd) in 1922; retired in 1952; sold to a private individual in 1952; sold to Western Railway Museum, Rio Vista, California in (??)

b.

Bamberger 400 (2nd) had the following specifications:

Length

Width

Weight

Seats

Trucks

Control

Brakes

57 feet 8 inches

9 feet

54,000 pounds

64

Baldwin 79-33AT

GE M-C36

AMM (M24A)

Notes:

1.

Bamberger 400 (2nd) was sold to Bay Area Electric Railroad Association in 1952

2.

Bamberger 403 (2nd) was sold to Sons of Utah Pioneers, displayed at Pioneer Village, Salt Lake City, Utah; moved to Corinne, Utah in (?); moved to Heber, Utah in 1979; restored by Heber Valley Historic Railroad to original Bamberger appearance by 1994. (part from Deseret News, August 20, 1993)

3.

Bamberger 404 (2nd) and 405 (2nd) were dismantled in 1952.

Car Number Series

Body Type

400, 401, 402

Single Compartment Coach

403, 404

Coach with Smoking Compartment

405

Coach with Baggage Compartment

Trailer 406-408 -- 3 cars

Car
Number

Date
Built

First
Number

Date
Renumbered

Second
Number

Date
Renumbered

Disposition

406

1913

317

15 Nov 1919

303 (2nd)

19 Mar 1928

Dismantled in 1952

407

1910

301

29 May 1928

Dismantled on December 1, 1937

408

1913

312

1 Dec 1937

(disposition unknown)

Car Number Series

Body Type

406

Single Compartment Coach

Coach 425-438 -- 19 cars

Car
Number

Date
Built

First
Number

Date
Renumbered

Second
Number

Date
Renumbered

Disposition

425

1916

Renumbered to 433, April 12, 1919

426

1916

Renumbered to 428 (2nd), September 28, 1919

427

1916

Renumbered to 429 (2nd), August 22, 1918

428 (1st)

1916

Renumbered to 431, February 5, 1919

428 (2nd)

1916

426

28 Sep 1919

Renumbered to 350, December 22, 1921

429 (1st)

1916

Renumbered to 432, February 17, 1919

429 (2nd)

1916

427

22 Aug 1919

Renumbered to 354, September 20, 1922

430

1916

431

1916

428

5 Feb 1919

Renumbered to 351, October 4, 1921

432

1916

429

17 Feb 1919

Renumbered to 352, October 1, 1921

433

1916

425

12 Apr 1919

Renumbered to 353, November 26, 1921

434

1910

400 (1st)

28 May 1920

Dismantled in 1952

435

1910

404

18 Jun 1920

Renumbered to 302 (2nd), January 5, 1929

436

1910

405

23 Jul 1921

Dismantled in 1952

437

1913

311

15 Jan 1921

Renumbered to 325 (2nd), March 19, 1928

438

1913

316

6 Feb 1928

Renumbered to 301 (2nd), May 26, 1928

Car Number Series

Body Type

434

Single Compartment Coach

436

Single Compartment Coach

Trailer 450-452 -- 3 cars

Car
Number

Date
Built

First
Number

Date
Renumbered

Second
Number

Date
Renumbered

Disposition

450

451

452

Cars 450-452 were three of the nineteen famous Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Electric Railroad's "Electric Pullmans" which averaged 66 mph over the interurban portion of their runs between those cities. Numbered 50-68 on the WB&A, the big cars operated on 6600 volts AC between cities and on 500-600 volts DC in cities. In 1910 WB&A converted to 1200 volts DC and it was felt desirable to dispose of these big cars. Some went to the Rock Island Southern (Illinois), while Bamberger purchased three and made trailers out of them.

The three 450-class trailers came to Bamberger in 1910 after the original owner, the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railroad, had converted to shorter cars to allow operations of their cars over all parts of their system. Bamberger bought the 62-foot long cars and removed the motors and control equipment, making trailers out of them. The three ex-W,B&AE Niles-built trailers closely matched Bamberger's already existing, eight 56-foot, Niles-built, 310-class motors, and six 400-class trailers, also 56 feet long. (Hilton pp.60, 61, Swett pp.24, 26, 29)

450-452 harmonized well with the 300 and 400 Classes, for they were built by Niles, with that builder's double-arch windows, monitor deck roof and generally graceful lines. Bamberger modified them slightly, changing steps and applying a full-width buffer. They saw intensive use, perhaps due to their high seating capacity (68).

451 was scrapped in 1918 due to fire damage in the Ogden car house fire; 450 and 452 were scrapped December 31, 1937.

Arsenal Trains

During World War II the Bamberger ran from Ogden to the Ogden Arsenal for workers at the military bases in North Davis County. The service was deemed vital by the Office of Defense and so when Bamberger requested permission to acquire additional cars for the service, six ex Southern Pacific "Blimps" were sent to the Arsenal for use by the railroad. The blimps had their electrical equipment removed and wooden stoves installed for winter heat and were towed by Bamberger's passenger motors or as the train grew by a freight locomotive, usually No. 530.

During World War II, the railroad ran five- and eight-car "Arsenal" trains, hauling war workers from Ogden to the station at Arsenal, adjacent to the west gate of today's Hill Air Force Base.

Research has not yet found how long these cars remained in service on Bamberger, and what their disposition was.

SP/IER "Blimp" Cars

IER was SP's Interurban Electric Railway, which had been formed by SP in December 1938 in anticipation of the January 1939 opening of the Oakland Bay Bridge. The new bridge had a lower deck dedicated to the operation of trucks and trains. The trains were of the two competing companies, Key System and SP's IER, with both companies operating from their Oakland terminals, to the San Francisco Transbay Terminal. Southern Pacific ended its IER transbay commuter train service in July, 1941, making the IER "Blimps" surplus. Apparently, some remained in in the East Bay area and were used to move workers to the ship yards during World War II. Others went to Utah to move workers between Ogden and the Ogden Arsenal over the Bamberger Railroad. Others went south for service moving workers to and from the ship yards in the Long Beach area, which explains their later PE/MCL/MTA ownership.

SP's IER had been formed in 1938 as a consolidation of SP's East Bay Electric Lines, which itself was a 1911 consolidation of SP's steam-powered commuter lines in the East Bay region. The rail lines served the cities of Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, Oakland, Alameda, and San Leandro transporting commuters to and from the large Oakland Pier (known as the Oakland Mole), and the Alameda Pier of the Southern Pacific. A fleet of ferry boats ran between these piers and the docks of the Ferry Building on the San Francisco Embarcadero. The ferries stopped operating after the Oakland Bay Bridge opened, allowing trains to operate directly from Oakland to San Francisco.

MCL was Metropolitan Coach Lines, which took over passenger service of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1951, as well as the bus and streetcar lines of the Los Angeles Transit Lines, successor to the Los Angeles Railway.

MTA was Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, which began operating the MCL lines on March 3, 1958, and continued to do so until the agency was reorganized and relaunched as the Southern California Rapid Transit District in September 1964.

Freight Locomotives

The Bamberger fleet of electric locomotives was headed by the four Baldwin-Westinghouse 50-ton motors: 551, 550, 502, 503. Although constructed many years apart, these were very much the same. Next in importance came the 530 -- geared high and quite long, 525 and 526, and finally 528 and 527, the latter being the old "A" and later the 27.

Salt Lake & Ogden's first electric freight locomotive was expected to arrive on April 15, 1911. The 30-ton locomotive had been built by McGuire-Cummings Manufacturing Company and had left the factory "several weeks ago." It was equipped with "four 100-horsepower, 700-volt d.c. General Electric inter-pole motors with forced ventilation, double and multiple unit control and Westinghouse combined straight and automatic air brakes. The locomotive is designed to handle 400 tons trailing load at 17-1/2 miles an hour on a 0.7 per cent grade." (Ogden Evening Standard, April 12, 1911, "Electric Engine For Bamberger")

In the book called "When Trolley Wires Spanned the Country", on page 133, there is a photo taken in 1951 of a Bamberger car on a piece of single track barely longer than itself. The stands of switches onto double track are visible next to the ends of the car, as are the switch rails and a long piece of the double track behind it. The picture is actually taken in Bountiful at the intersection of Center Street with 200 West. This was the north end of the double track that ran from 500 South in Bountiful past the station. The other switch on the north side of center street serves Smith Mill. The double wire was common on a great deal of Bamberger’s mainline. During the Depression Bamberger single tracked the line. As part of the project they moved the second wire over the center of the remaining track. North bound trains would use the east wire and southbound the west wire. Bamberger did not use frogs on the mainline wire so this allowed the trains to run the full length of the system without having to switch the pole to another wire. You will find pictures of freight trains using two poles with one on each wire. Somehow this helped to keep loads balanced at the sub-stations. #503 which came off of the Great Northern was a real juice hog and thus was only used when absolutely necessary. It had a tendency to overload the system and cause the equipment at the substations to kick out. Apparently, other locomotives would also do this when they were pulling a heavy load on long grades so the rule was to use two poles with one on each wire. (Shay Stark, email dated November 27, 2012)

All Bamberger electric locomotives were scrapped in 1952 after dieselization.

No.

Builder

Date
Built

Date To
Locomotive

First
Number

Date
Renumbered

Second
Number

Date
Renumbered

Notes

205

502

Baldwin

1912

2

503

Baldwin

1906

3

525

BRR

1910

1920

304

10 Jun 1920

4

526

BRR

1910

1919

308

16 Dec 1919

4

527

McG-C

1911

5

528

GE

1913

6

529

(Line Car)

7

530

BRR

1910

1939

307

3 Jul 1923

300 (2nd)

27 Oct 1929

8

550

Baldwin

1923

9

551

Baldwin

1929

10

General Notes:

a.

Bamberger's electric freight locomotives had the following characteristics:

No.

Weight

Total HP

Length

Width

Height

Motors

Ratio

Control

205

502

103,500

725

32'4"

10'10"

11'10"

W. 337

17:60

W. HL

503

107,300

725

32'8"

11'9"

11'10"

W. 337

17:60

W. HL

525

82,540

450

39'9"

8'6"

12'6"

GE 205B

16:72

GE M

526

85,100

560

39'9"

8'6"

12'6"

GE 207A

16:72

GE M

527

76,640

450

32'5"

9'2"

12'8"

GE 205B

15:58

C-36-C

528

78,460

450

33'0"

8'6"

12'6"

GE 205B

15:58

C-36-C

529

530

87,400

450

42'0"

9'5"

13'0"

GE 205B

21:53

C-74-A

550

100,000

725

32'4"

9'9"

12'2"

W 562D5

17:60

W. HLF

551

98,800

725

32'4"

9'9"

12'2"

W 562D5

17:60

W. HLF

Notes:

1.

Bamberger 205 was a steel baggage motor, constructed by the North Salt Lake shops in 1921. This car ran for sixteen years, being scrapped in 1937. In 1939, steel from it was used in constructing locomotive 530.

2.

Bamberger 502 was built 1912 for Inland Empire's 600-volt line from Spokane to Coeur d'Alene. One of the first of Baldwin-Westinghouse's steeple cab type. Sold to Bamberger by Great Northern when the SC&P went diesel.

3.

Bamberger 503 was built 1906 with B-W's original box cab type body. Also acquired from SC&P. These two kept their SC&P numbers.

4.

Bamberger 525 and 526 were built after the Ogden fire from burned passenger motors 304 and 308. The GE body design (introduced by 528 in 1913) was followed. 525 and 526 were able to run MU. Both dismantled in 1952

5.

Bamberger 527 was originally "A", then 27, finally 527. Rebuilt to resemble 528.

6.

Bamberger 528 was built by Salt Lake & Ogden at Ogden; the body came from GE, trucks from Baldwin. This, plus 527, eliminated practically all steam power from SL&O. Originally numbered 28.

7.

Bamberger 529 was Bamberger's first line car. (see below)

8.

Bamberger 530 was the largest and newest of the home-built locomotives. It was built of second-hand material: steel from express car 205, electrical equipment from the second 300. Its high gearing enabled it to haul passenger trains. Dismantled in 1952

9.

Bamberger 550 was acquired 1941 from the San Diego Electric Railway (ex-SDE 1025).

10.

Bamberger 551 was acquired 1941 from Milwaukee system of Wisconsin Power & Light (ex-WPL 1000).

Line Cars

Bamberger had but two line cars during all its years as an electric railway. Both were home-built.

Car
Number

First
Number

Previous
Number

Date
Built

Date To
Line Car

Notes

01

529

1913

13 Jan 1928

1

05

306

200

1910

28 Jul 1937

2

General Notes:

a.

Bamberger Line Car 01 was renumbered from car 529 on January 13, 1928; car 529 had been built by Salt Lake & Ogden in August 1913 (first carried on equipment accounts on August 31, 1913)

b.

Bamberger Line Car 05 was built as car 306 in 1910; converted to Express Car (box motor) and renumbered to Car 200 on September 18, 1920; converted to line car serice and renumbered to Car 05 on July 28, 1937

c.

Bamberger Line Car 05 had a steel body, hydraulic-lift platform and high speed gearing, and was siad to be one of the finest line cars in the west.

Notes:

1.

Bamberger Line Car 01 was removed from service in 1934 and scrapped in 1937

2.

Bamberger Line Car 05 was scrapped in 1952

Freight Cars

BRR did not own many freight cars, for its freight business consists mainly of hauling off-line cars. BRR's own sixteen cars are:

Cabooses

The following comes from Shay Stark, via an email posted to the Utah Railroading Yahoo Group on January 16, 2012:

Did Bamberger have any cabooses?

The short answer is, yes. However, like everything in life, it is not that simple. At some point after Bamberger began freight service, a short combine was equipped with a cupola and used as a caboose. I do not know if the combine had previously had the seats removed and windows boarded up or not. It is possible that the line was generating enough lcl in the early 1900's to justify turning the combines into baggage cars.

This is pure speculation on my part, but I believe the caboose was built as a public relations move. Mr. Bamberger was very conscious of the public perception of his line. Early on he was in head to head competition with the larger steam roads. In statements to early newspapers and advertisements he would regularly make comparisons to the steam roads. You could liken it to little dog syndrome. I would guess that Mr. Bamberger had decided that he needed to have a caboose so that his freight trains looked like the freight trains on the steam roads. At the same time he would not build, operate and maintain something that did not provide a measurable benefit. If the car were to be used for lcl then it would be considered worthwhile to drag around on the train. It would not surprise me to find out that the cupola was never really used.

With that being said it is also important to realize that the only way to really make money in the freight business was to establish through rates with connecting railroads. This was something that did not come easily as the railroads saw the Bamberger line as a threat. Mr. Bamberger had gone through a very lengthy and ugly court battle with the Union Pacific to enter into Ogden. A fight that did not end until Bamberger finally built a bridge over the UP mainline and abandoned the at grade diamond crossing. The hard feelings persisted for many years and freight rates were not established until the pressures of WWI forced the issue. This did not mean that Bamberger did not receive interchange traffic prior to WWI but it was very limited.

I do not know how long the caboose was used or if any additional cabooses were built. I am guessing that no others were built. Early rosters found in the Poor's guides are all over the place. The early ORER's are also totally incorrect, so it is nearly impossible to track. In my research I have the impression that Mr. Bamberger would exaggerate the equipment quantities submitted to the ORER's. In conversation with other researchers it is known that other railroads rosters were miss-represented also. The reason that I have come to this conclusion is because I have seen photos of cars with numbers that do not match the type of car or the size of car listed in the rosters. Also the rosters vary greatly from year to year. This would only make since if they were losing many cars a year to accidents and buying cars at a breakneck pace. The fact is Bamberger's cars were interchanged mostly on Utah's other electric lines. Most freight on the Bamberger line was incoming. That is why in later years Bamberger did not roster very many freight cars and few of the cars the line did have were fit for interchange.

Back to the story of the caboose, shortly after electrification of the line the towns along the line forced Mr. Bamberger to make good on his promise of total electrification which had been a stipulation of the franchise agreements. The larger passenger cars were sold but the two short combines/baggage cars/lcl cars/caboose were retained. The only photo that I have seen of the caboose was taken for the ICC valuations just prior to WWI. In that picture it looks well maintained.

After the Ogden carbarn fire one of the interurban cars that was destroyed was built into a motorized lcl car #200. A second unpowered trailer was also built into an lcl car #205. I have only seen a period drawing in an advertisement that depicted the trainer as a shorter steel car. My guess is that one of the combines was used as the trailer. Either directly after the fire or shortly after the 200 was built one of the combines was motorized. As the fire had destroyed most of the motorized fleet I am guessing that the wooden combine was built quickly after the fire to handle the lcl service. It may have been used with the other combine/caboose. Once the steel motor was built the wooden motor car was stored as a backup.

In 1913 one of the short combines was motorized and numbered #529. The first electric freight locomotive was delivered in 1910. As delivered it was numbered "A". In 1913 the line purchased a car body from GE, and trucks and motors from Baldwin to build the second electric locomotive. At this time the first locomotive was renumbered #527. The second was renumbered #528. The motorized combine may have originally been built to either act as a backup locomotive or an lcl car. The earliest picture I have seen of it shows a platform on top with a ladder up the side. I do not know the date of the picture. Looking at the clerestory windows, they are intact which tells me that this car was not previously the caboose. By 1921 #529 has been renumbered #03 and had a retractable platform. In 1928 the #03 was listed as retired on the company records but remained in the yard until 52 or 53.

As the 20's rolled into the 30's traffic on the line had really dropped. The flue pandemic of 1918 hit Utah hard around 1920 and lasted through the mid 20's. This effectively stifled post war economic growth and set Utah at a great disadvantage as the national economy turned sour in the late 20's. The motorized combine was put to use as a line car and the un-motorized car was cannibalized to serve as some sort of maintenance car. Neither car had the cupola any more. In 1937, Mr. Bamberger pulled up one of the mainlines, removed tie plates from the other and sold the metal for scrap and prices had risen on scrap metal due to the war over seas. At the same time he also culled the roster and placed several cars and motors on sidings at the shops and declared them as scrapped. This along with the removal of one track at each grate crossing would reduce the taxes that the line had to pay. The two combines were placed in the dead line and the steel lcl motor #200 was re numbered to #05 and relegated as the line car.

At this point lcl was either placed on the locomotive or relegated to a boxcar on the daily peddler freights.

During WWII trailer #406 had all of its seats removed and it was used to deliver express from Salt Lake City to the Ogden freight house where the express was trucked to the Ogden Union Passenger Depot and placed on an Southern Pacific train to be delivered to Cobre, Nevada and the Nevada Northern. The empty #406 would head back to Salt Lake every morning on the rear of the morning freight. So I guess you could look at it as a pseudo caboose. After the war Bamberger picked up some war surplus single sheathed boxcars cars along with some rebuilt steel boxcars that were used for this service. One gentleman who had some sort of association with the movement of the express stated that in the 1950's between six and ten box cars of express would come up from Salt Lake to Ogden each night. I have not been able to substantiate that claim.

The cars resting in the dead line were robbed for parts during the early part of the war and slowly the equipment was scrapped. The combines remained in the dead line until electrified passenger service ended and much of the equipment was scrapped in 52 and 53.